


Double Edged

by Tassos



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Community: fandom_stocking, Gen, Pre-Series, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-06
Updated: 2012-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-29 01:09:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/314176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tassos/pseuds/Tassos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko hates Azula, hates firebending, and finds another place to train.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Double Edged

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dealga](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=dealga).



The best part about the training room on the west side of the palace was that there were no mirrors. The walls were a rich dark brown but without adornment, not even the Fire Nation banner on the walls, and that was just the way Zuko liked it. In here, he didn't have to think about fire or see where his eyebrows should have been or even think about stupid Azula who was perfect perfect perfect.

Mother said he should be patient; she was his sister. But Zuko hated her; he didn't want her to be his sister.

It'd happened at training with their firebending teacher, Master Lee. Zuko and Azula stood behind and to either side of Lee as they mimicked his movements through the kata. Azula, of course, managed flames easily as she pushed her arms through the end of each movement. Zuko barely got a puff, and it wasn't fair, at all. He was a whole year older, and almost ten now too. He should have been a master himself by now.

Every time Lee's back was turned as they wove the pattern toward each corner of the room, Azula made a face at Zuko, and when he stepped away, Zuko didn't even have time to blink before heat seared across his face. Azula laughed and laughed and laughed, even when she was pretending to be sorry.

"You're here early!"

Zuko dropped his arms and nearly tripped over his own feet as he spun around. Arms Master Chen stood in the open doorway.

Zuko didn't say anything. He was the prince. He could do whatever he wanted. It didn't stop the awkward feeling of being wrong and stupid all the time, especially since Master Chen could still tell Father that he'd shown up here instead of in the eastern training room.

"Again," said Master Chen, nodding for Zuko to repeat the kata he'd come in to practice before their lesson.

Willing his arms to stop trembling from nerves, Zuko went back to first position. He'd only just learned it. It was different from the katas he was used to, lighter, not as grounded. But Zuko liked it because it was different. He was no good at the firebending katas anyway.

When Zuko came to the end, he exhaled slowly, then let the pose go. He straightened and bowed to Master Chen. After a long stony moment, Master Chen inclined his head. He was a craggy, old man who had been part of the Palace Guard forever. He and Uncle Iroh, when he was home, often had tea.

"Hm," he said. "You hands finish before they should. But you are practicing motion without the proper weight to anchor you."

Zuko's shoulder's fell. He _hated_ hearing about how he wasn't drawing his bending properly from his center. He wanted to scream! He shouldn't have to do that here -- that was the whole point!

"Here."

At the unexpected lack of a lecture, Zuko looked up. Master Chen was holding out two wooden dao swords.

"If you intend to learn, you must learn properly," said Master Chen impatiently, and Zuko took the swords. He was a firebender; firebenders didn't usually use weapons. When he showed up in Master Chen's training room, he'd expected a day's reprieve and another scolding. He'd never expected swords.

When Master Chen folded his small hands properly around the sword grips, Zuko forgot all about his eyebrows.


End file.
